Cancer Sucks

I don’t use the “s” word in the title. And I don’t let my kids use it either the ones I can still control with my iron fist, anyway. But I can’t think of another word today.

One of my best friends since college (and a bridesmaid at my wedding) lost her brother this week to lymphoma.

Just a few hours ago our dear friend and colleague (and vice president of one of our companies) died of prostate cancer. [I’ll link to his obit when it’s posted.] He was the chairman of the Ocean Engineering Department at Florida Atlantic University who recruited Sam right out of BYU. He is the reason we spent ten years in Florida. And now this good, honorable man is gone.

A decade ago, one of our best friends in Florida had a brain tumor that took his life.

And, of course, countless others can be added to my list and yours.

This is such a horrible disease. I don’t want to lose more loved ones.

Alsion, you could have not said it any better. It is a shame something so incedious robs us of those we love. In just a few short days I will celebrate losing my one of my best friends to cancer and it just has not been the same without her.
But we just have to live better and be better. That’s how we honor them.

So horribly sad. Is there anyone on the planet that hasn’t lost someone to cancer? It REALLY IS rampant in its many forms. A friend just came home last week, from the funeral of a 4 year old who died from DIPG which I’d never even HEARD of and had to look up. It’s a form of brain cancer and stands for Diffused Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, which is an inoperable tumor than forms on the brain stem, and strangely is a disease that is unique to childhood. (I guess because they die before they can grow older.)
A cure for cancer would surely be THE medical breakthrough of the century.

Oh- and Alison about using a word that you normally wouldn’t, and regarding Angie’s comment about the word just fitting…
One of my Dad’s favorite movies was “From The Hip”. His favorite scene was one in the courtroom, and this very idea about certain words just “fitting” is brought up. It’s one of those scenes where you laugh your head off, while you’re thinking “I probably shouldn’t be laughing at this but its SO funny!” (I’ll leave out the curseword 🙂

Plaintiff: So let me get this straight. The plaintiff, the trustee, criticized your bank’s lending policy after a board meeting.
Answer: That’s correct.
P: So you punched him.
A: I struck him because he was rude. He called me an idiot.
P: But he never physically threatened you, did he?
A: Nope.
P: And there was no skirmish of any kind preceding your act of violence, was there?
A: No.
P: You just felt like hitting him right out of the blue, so you did, isn’t that right?
A: I suppose so.
P: No further questions, Your Honor.
Judge: Redirect, Mr. Weathers?
Defense: Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Torkinson, how long have you known the plaintiff, Mr. Wilby?
A: Oh, approximately twelve years.
D: And over that duration did you have an opportunity to form an opinion as to character of the plaintiff?
A: I did, yeah.
D: Could you please state that opinion for the court.
A: You mean what I really think of him?
D: Your honest opinion, sir.
A: He’s _________.Plaintiff: Objection!Judge: You bet. Sustained. The answer will be stricken.Defense: Sidebar, Your Honor.Judge: Sidebar? What for?Defense: Because I want a sidebar. …. I respectfully request, Your Honor, that the answer be allowed.Plaintiff: What!Defense: It should stand. It is relevant.Judge: And it’s offensive. Don’t compound it, Counselor.Defense: Your Honor, if I may–Judge: Tell the witness to rephrase the answer.Defense: Well, that’s just it, Your Honor. He can’t. The word has a very distinct connotation. There’s nothing else that quite captures it.Plaintiff: I object. You’re saying the president of a bank can’t articulate his thoughts without using profanity.Defense: What I am saying, sir, is that there aren’t many words to describe the particular slime that your client oozes.Plaintiff: Objection.Judge: Mr. Weathers, just where do you think you are?Defense: I think, Your Honor, that I’m in a place where every citizen can have his say.Judge: Yes, yes, but not in any way he wants to say it. Tell him to pick another word.Defense: Like what? Deceitful? Dishonest? Conniving? They’re all close–Plaintiff: Objection!Defense: But ________ really fits. It’s the only word that accurately describes him, and we can demonstrate just that.Judge: All right, now what kind of [nonsense] is this?Defense: Excuse me, sir, but, Your Honor, you know as well as I do that the word has a unique meaning and my client has a First Amendment right to expression.Plaintiff: Give me a break.Judge: Change the word.Defense: Fine, give me the replacement. Give me one word that captures the same image. One word. You name it, and I will use it.Judge: Sure. (Long pause) [to Plaintiff] Can you come up with a word?Plaintiff: Sure. Uh……..antagonistic.Defense: Antagonistic??Judge: With all due respect, Counselor, you’re making defense’s point for him!Plaintiff: I still object.Defense: Oh, come on! I move for a hearing on the matter.Judge: You want me to have a special motion on the admissibility of the word “_______”?!Defense: Well–let me have “___” then. That’s–close enough.Judge: Which law school did you go to?Plaintiff: I’ll agree to it, Your Honor.Judge: You will? Why?Plaintiff: I don’t want any interlocutory appeals.Judge: What are you, a comedy team? All right. We’ll hear it tomorrow. Just “____”, though. We’ll bring the jury back on Thursday.

I’ve been at a loss for words, so haven’t yet commented. “Cancer sucks” really sums it up! It is such a degenerative disease. It is terribly difficult to watch someone about whom you care decline and suffer from cancer.